Another Closure: Menchie’s Alhambra?

Fro-yo girl here. Don’t you hate when you can’t tell if a business is temporarily vs. permanently closed? It’s late August, prime froyo season, and Menchie’s Alhambra hasn’t been open since I’m not sure when. The signs are still up but it looks like much of the interior is in storage (e.g., containers for toppings).

Is Menchie’s Alhambra closed for good? Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Listed as temporarily closed on Google
• Reported as permanently closed on Yelp
• Last Facebook post in January 2020
• Last Instagram post in 2017 from the business, July 2019 from another use
• Still on the Menchie’s website (update: it's no longer on the Menchie's website as of early September)
• Last Yelp review July 2020 but the review said they were closed. There was a review in June 2020.
• Shop signs up but shop looks abandoned, no one has picked up the mail for awhile 

This location first opened in 2011 and changed ownership in 2015. I rarely visited because they never seemed to have the new flavors till way after they were introduced. It was expensive too (62 cents an ounce) compared to other froyo shops in the area.

Since they haven’t reopened during prime froyo season, I’d be surprised if they ever open again. 

Update: The location is no longer listed on the Menchie's website, so it's definitely closed (for good).

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

* MENCHIE’S: 9 E Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

The Hidden History of Froyo in Southern California

Photo credit: Marilyn M., Yelp

Fro-yo girl here. Did you know that Yogurtland got its start inside a boba shop in Fullerton? Phillip Chang, Yogurtland’s founder, owned a boba shop called Boba Loca near Cal State Fullerton. In 2006, he added froyo machines. The original location is still a Yogurtland but they no longer serve boba drinks.

When froyo was all the rage in Southern California, you could find frozen yogurt in donut shops, Korean coffee shops, Asian bakeries, boba shops (e.g., It's Boba Time chain) and more. Later, froyo would make its way into restaurants, movie theaters, convenience stores, drug stores, supermarkets, and airports. Many of those places no longer offer froyo, but if you take a close look, you can still see remnants of those froyo days, e.g., cutout walls, old signs, old machines, etc.

AM Donut & Yogurt, 305 W Huntington Dr, Monrovia, CA 91016 

The Google Places description still calls it a donut and frozen yogurt shop, but they no longer carry frozen yogurt. The wall still has cutouts though, 3 of them, for 3 froyo machines. They used to have self-serve froyo from 2011-2013. People still go there looking for froyo since its in the name and on the signs.

Rose Donut & Sandwiches, 6276 Rosemead Blvd, Temple City, CA 91780

Rose Donut added self-serve froyo in 2010 and kept it till 2013 (?). There were 8 flavors day. There’s still a sign for ML Yogurt inside. The owners own Rose Donut & ML Yogurt in Bell, CA.

Cloverleaf Bakery, 9475 Las Tunas Dr, Temple City, CA 91780

Cloverleaf Bakery is an Asian bakery that opened in 2009 with Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt inside. It was self-serve with four machines. They stopped offering froyo in 2011.

Loha’s Fresh Mart, 300 W Main St., Alhambra, CA 91801

Loha’s opened in 2015 with the vision of being a healthy, organic Asian food market. The deli offered bento boxes, salads, fresh soy milk, fresh juice and at one point, organic frozen yogurt. The market closed in late 2019. They had another location in Arcadia that didn’t offer froyo. That location also closed.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Boba Ice Cream Bar Reviews, Part 3: Tiger Sugar Black Sugar Boba Milk Ice Cream Bar and A-Chino Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bar

Fro-yo girl here. Boba ice cream bars are good enough that I’m excited to try the different brands and varieties. I’m looking for a milk tea flavored bar with chewy boba and so far, I haven’t found it. This week, I tried two new bars: Tiger Sugar Black Sugar Boba Milk Ice Cream Bar and A-Chino Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bar. I found them both at 99 Ranch Market in Arcadia, CA. 

Tiger Sugar Black Sugar Boba Milk Ice Cream Bar: A box of four individually wrapped bars was on sale for $7.99 (regular price $8.99). One 80g bar has 147 calories, 6g total fat, 22g total carbs, 15g sugar and 1g protein. The bar was a bit softer and less icy vs. A-Chino’s. It had a slightly stronger brown sugar flavor compared to A-Chino’s. There weren’t many boba pieces but they seemed larger. The boba were sweet and chewy. The exterior had brown sugar swirls and the interior was creamier. 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

A-Chino Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bar: A box of four individually wrapped bars was $4.98 on sale, $5.99 regular price. One bar (80g) had 155 calories, 6g total fat, 23g total carbs, 16 total sugars, and 2g protein. There were more boba and the boba were sweet, soft and chewy. It mostly tasted like sweet cream, with a hint of brown sugar. 4 out 5 stars.

Both brands added molasses for a deep, rich sweetness. Both were imported from Taiwan. They looked very similar in appearance. They’re milkier and don’t have the intense brown sugar flavor of the leading brand, Shao Mei. Shao Mei’s is also the creamiest. Which one you like best will depend on how much brown sugar flavor you prefer. Shao Mei’s brown sugar flavor was overwhelming. My current favorite of the brown sugar boba bars is Tiger Sugar’s, though I prefer the flavor of the milk tea boba bars. 

Catch up on my other boba ice cream bar reviews, Part 1 & Part 2.

* 99 RANCH: 1300 S Golden W Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Boba Ice Cream Bar Reviews, Part 2: Pearl Milk Tea & Oolong Tea Boba Ice Cream Bars

Fro-yo girl here. When I first tried boba ice cream bars, I tried two kinds of brown sugar boba ice cream bars, one from Shao Mei and one from I-Mei. The boba in those bars was soft but I missed the milk tea flavor. So, I was excited to try milk tea boba ice cream bars. 99 Ranch in Arcadia, CA had quite a few varieties of boba ice cream bars.

I-Mei Pearl Milk Tea Ice Bar: A pack of four individually wrapped bars was $4.89. The bars are imported from Taiwan. One bar (88g) has 170 calories, 10g total fat, 18g total carbs, 16g total sugars, and 2g protein. It’s made with black tea, tapioca starch, agar and conjac powder. One side of the bar was white, sweet and creamy (like milk) and one side (about 2/3rds of the bar) tasted like milky black tea with a few “boba bits. The boba pieces were small and there were few of them. The bar was delicious and had a strong tea flavor. The boba bits were like jelly though and not chewy. It would have been better without the boba.

A Ching Oolong Tea Boba Ice Cream Bar: A pack of four individually wrapped bars was $6.99. The bars are imported from Taiwan. One bar is 178 calories, 10g total fat, 19g total carbs, 15g total sugars, and 2g protein. The white top of the bar was sweet and creamy and almost caramel like, with a few boba balls. The brown part tasted like oolong tea and it had more boba balls. The balls were crunchy and icy; they tasted more like jelly than tapioca pearls. The bar smelled like boba milk tea. The bar would have been better without the boba balls.

The brown sugar bars that I tried had better boba but if you want tea flavor, these bars were better. They used a different type of tea, so both tasted different. I hope that I can find boba ice cream bars with strong tea flavor and chewy boba.

4 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yoga-urt 5th Anniversary Celebration Recap: New Flavor, New Menu Item

Fro-yo girl here. We’re back from Yoga-urt, 1407 Kenneth Rd, Glendale, CA, and the 31st flavor was finally revealed: Ultimate Ube! I guessed that the new flavor would be purple, but that was easy to guess since most of Yoga-urt’s anniversary flavors have been. The shop looked very celebratory with lots of pink and purple balloons.

Ultimate Ube: The texture was thick though it wasn’t quite as firm and dense as some of the other flavors, possibly because it was a new flavor that was freshly made and/or the fact that it was 98 degrees was taxing the soft serve machine? The flavor was on the sweeter side and had a hint of spice. Mr. Froyo & I thought it was cinnamon and maybe something else. The ube flavor was on the mild side but we were tasting more than just cinnamon, almond milk and cashews. Yes, it’s plant-based, organic, gluten free, soy free and kosher. Recommended toppings: Pistachios, gluten free waffle cone, almonds.

I was so excited about the new flavor that I forgot to check out the brand new Classic Chocolate and Strawberry shakes. Also, you can request a shake made with any flavor that’s in rotation.

The celebration continues tomorrow at the Echo Park location (2211 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles). Enjoy $1 off your purchase on Sunday from 2 PM - 5 PM.

Your froyo purchases will help others too; $1 from every transaction will be donated to the Loveland Foundation, an organization that brings opportunity, access, validation and healing to communities of color, and Support + Feed, a charitable initiative that provides plant-based meals during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond for those in need, including families, seniors, victims of domestic abuse, etc.

P.S. If you’re looking for Pistachio Passion or Vanilla Harmony pints, they’re sold out.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Yoga-urt 5th Anniversary Celebration This Weekend in Glendale & Los Angeles

Fro-yo girl here. I’m definitely going to tell you all about Yoga-urt’s 5th anniversary celebration this weekend, but I wanted to tell you about what it will involve before reporting back on what happens.

Love froyo? Love ice cream? Love soft serve? Vegan? Avoiding soy? Foodie? Come one, come all! In case you didn’t hear, Yoga-urt has the best vegan soft serve froyo in the country (the world?). It’s organic and made in small batches on site, by hand, with lots of love. I’ve been fan since day 1 and Mr. Froyo became one once I brought him to the shop. As wonderful as the product is, the business is made extra special by a loving and caring founder, Melissa Schulman. She often donates to causes she cares about and she created Yoga-urt to share yummy, healthful treats with the world, especially the poor souls with food allergies who were left out of enjoying good froyo. I don’t have any food allergies and I love Yoga-urt, so it’s a place for anyone who appreciates high quality, delicious soft serve. Mr. Froyo even likes the music that they play. It’s our happy place.

This weekend's anniversary celebration will include:

• Unveiling of a new flavor, their 31st
• New shakes, including a Birthday Cake Shake for the anniversary weekend
• $1 discount at the Glendale location on Saturday from 2 PM - 5 PM and the Echo Park location on Sunday from 2 PM - 5 PM
• $1 from every transaction will be donated to the Loveland Foundation, an organization that brings opportunity, access, validation and healing to communities of color, and Support + Feed, a charitable initiative that provides plant-based meals during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond for those in need, including families, seniors, victims of domestic abuse, etc.

Yoga-urt has been recognized by PETA, The Glendale News Press, Los Angeles Times, ABC 7, VegOut Magazine, and others. Readers of the Glendale News Press voted Yoga-urt “Best of Glendale” for the “Ice Cream/ Frozen Yogurt” category by in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Yoga-urt follows all mandated restaurant protocols including distanced patio seating, contact-free curbside pick-up (from 3pm-7pm) and delivery via Postmates or Grubhub.

• Yoga-urt, 1407 Kenneth Road, Glendale, CA
• Yoga-urt Echo Park, 2211 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

History of Corner Stores & Froyo in San Francisco

Foodhall, San Francisco

Fro-yo girl here. Everything’s a little fancier in San Francisco, where corner stores and liquor stores just might carry soft serve froyo. The most famous of these is Michaelis Wine & Spirits in the Marina. Michaelis is a liquor store but they also have a counter for counter serve froyo and toppings towards the back of the store. They’ve been serving froyo for at least 15 years, I’m sure, but I’m not sure when they first started serving froyo. I can’t find reviews from over 15 years ago. Way back in 2005, they had 6 flavors of froyo a day and reviewers liked the generous servings and low prices. It was the first liquor store I ever got froyo from. 

Foodhall, which opened in 2016, is an upscale corner market with a coffee bar, pastries, cheese, produce, pantry staples, flowers, and a large wine and spirits collection. And yes, they serve froyo too. It’s Italian style, plain soft serve, made with local Straus organic milk. There are fancy toppings like hazelnuts, olive oil, pine nuts, and espresso.

Loop Neighboorhood opened its first location in 2013. Started by Bay Area gas station operator, Vintners Distribution, Loop envisioned a new type of convenience store, an upscale one that offered healthy food and fresh foods in an inviting environment. There are currently 35 Loop markets and 33 of those have self-serve froyo. Luckily, all three San Francisco locations offer self-serve froyo.

Corner Stores That Used to Offer Froyo

New Russian Hill Market on Pacific Ave. used to offer self-serve froyo but it looks like they discontinued doing so around 2012.

K & D Market on 16th St. in the Mission is a small liquor store that serves Korean food and used to (?) serve froyo. The newest review that mentions froyo is from 2015 and the neon frozen yogurt sign was removed.

Walgreens isn’t exactly a corner store but when they opened the Union Square flagship in 2013, they had self-serve froyo. Walgreens stopped offering self-serve froyo in 2017. Their Upmarket concept was similar to Loop Neighborhood.

Here are the addresses of the markets with froyo:

• Michaelis Wine & Spirits, 2198 Union St, San Francisco, CA 94123
• Foodhall, 3100 16th St., San Francisco, CA 94103
• Loop Neighborhood, 2890 3rd St., San Francisco, CA 94107
• Loop Neighborhood, 1200 19th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122
• Loop Neighborhood, 2501 California St, San Francisco, CA 94115

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

2020 Froyo Guide to San Francisco

Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt

Fro-yo girl here. My froyo guide to San Francisco was published in 2015, so it’s time for an update. Of the four shops that I recommended in 2015, two have closed since then: Fraiche Yogurt and Pinkberry. The Pinkberry Union Square location was the only Pinkberry in San Francisco. Yes, there’s a Pinkberry at SFO Airport but that’s outside of San Francisco. Fraiche closed in Palo Alto last December, so their SFO kiosk is the last remaining location.

Hayes Valley/Marina/NOPA

Souvla (517 Hayes St., 2272 Chestnut St., 531 Divisadero St.,) has opened additional locations and even launched a froyo truck since my last 2015 SF froyo guide. I’ve had their Greek froyo at all of their locations and the froyo is consistently wonderful. Their salads are tasty and popular and they have Greek wine. But the star is the creamy Greek froyo made in house. The Greek frozen yogurt comes in one size and one flavor (plain) with your choice of toppings: baklava crumbles with syrup, sour cherry, olive oil and sea salt or honey. I like to get sour cherry syrup and baklava crumbles. The froyo comes in a cute NY coffee cup that’s perfect for strolling.

The Mission

Foodhall, 3100 16th St.) opened in April 2016 as a stylish gourmet grocery store with coffee, pastries, cheese, produce and a large wine and spirits collection. Foodhall serves Italian style frozen yogurt made with Straus organic milk. There’s just one flavor, plain and they have some fancier toppings. The froyo is thick, smooth, and dense.

Oh, there’s a Souvla in this neighborhood too, at 758 Valencia St., and yes, froyo is available.

Noe Valley/Inner Sunset/ West Portal

Easy Breezy Frozen Yogurt (4028 24th St., 718 Irving St., 44 West Portal Ave.) moved from the Castro to West Portal and opened a shop in Corte Madera since 2015. I’m recommending them again because they make their own froyo with their own recipes. It’s fresh and unique. They try to use organic ingredients as much as possible and have interesting toppings. The décor is adorable and they care about the environment. Plus, all their shops are Swirl of Honor shops.

Pacific Heights

Apizza (2043 Fillmore St.) is the new concept from the founder of La Boulangerie and new owner of Loving Cup. The idea is to make high quality pizza and froyo that’s fast, eco-friendly, and affordable. The froyo there is hand-blended to order and creamy but with more texture than your typical froyo. Choose your base (nonfat vanilla, nonfat chocolate, non-dairy vanilla made with coconut milk) and pick a swirl (achocolate, my favorite, thinner mint, guilty-ish pleasure, all good). You can add a chocolate chip cookie, sprinkles or additional mix ins or toppings. There are other Loving Cup locations in SF but the one inside apizza offers the best value, but with fewer options.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

The Coconut Collaborative Plant-Based Yogurt Alternative Review

Fro-yo girl here. The Coconut Collaborative is one of the older coconut yogurt plant-based yogurt brands, founded in 2014 in London. It’s now the #1 premium coconut yogurt brand in Europe. In 2019, the company began producing their yogurt in the Los Angeles last year, after launching in the US the previous year.

Coconut Collaborative products are dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free and low in sugar. I bought mine at Gelson’s in La Canada Flintridge, CA for $2.29 each (regular price). One cup is 4.2 oz (smaller than average). The yogurt is rich, so the small size is good for a snack or light breakfast.

Vanilla: The yogurt looked a little clumpy when I peeled the foil off, but stirring made it quite smooth and very creamy. The yogurt was mildly tangy with a little sourness. The vanilla flavor was quite faint but the coconut flavor was strong. The aftertaste was a bit bitter. One cup is 160 calories, 13g total fat, 9g total carbs, 1g total sugars, and 2g protein. Ingredients: Coconut milk (coconut extract, coconut water, water), coconut water, corn starch, potato starch, pectin, natural vanilla flavor, vanilla bean, cultures.

Blueberry: I gave this yogurt a stir too. I liked it better than the vanilla because the blueberry flavor was stronger, though the coconut flavor was still strong. There were little blueberry pieces. It was a little sweeter than the Vanilla yogurt but still mildly tangy.

Available flavors: Mango & Passion fruit, Plain, Vanilla, Blueberry

The Coconut Collaborative yogurt alternative is widely distributed. You can find it at Sprouts, Target, Whole Foods, Erewhon, Bristol Farms, Safeway, etc. And Nekter just announced that their Energy Bowls are layered with The Collaborative's vanilla plant-based yogurt alternative.

4 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s NEW HI-CHEW Passion Fruit Froyo Review

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been waiting for Menchie’s new HI-CHEW Passion Fruit froyo to be offered in my area. Surprisingly, even the corporate location, Menchie’s University in Encino, CA does not offer the latest HI-CHEW flavors as of August 12. Menchie’s in Whittier and Pico Rivera currently offer HI-CHEW Passion Fruit.

The Pico Rivera Menchie’s had samples of HI-CHEW Tropical Smoothie candy and HI-CHEW coupons. They also had the Best Friends spoons.

HI-CHEW Passion Fruit froyo: This was also icier than the usual froyo. It was a bit tangier than the HI-CHEW Mango and did taste like Passion Fruit and HI-CHEW. I can’t say that I was a fan though – a real fruit flavor is better than a candy fruit flavor. HI-CHEW Passion Fruit is nonfat with no artificial colors or flavors. Recommended toppings: Fresh mango, popping boba. I think it would pair well with The Art of Original Tart.

FYI, Menchie’s Pico Rivera allowed self-service of froyo and toppings. Gloves were provided.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

MENCHIE’S PICO RIVERA: 8880 Whittier Blvd, Pico Rivera, CA 90660

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Culina Yogurt Review

Fro-yo girl here. I first spotted Culina Yogurt at Sprouts a few months ago, but it was pricey (over $4), so I didn’t get it. I finally found it at Lassens for $3.99. Surprisingly, Sprouts charges quite a bit more than Lassen's and Whole Foods. The packaging changed from the terracotta pots to clear glass jars. The jars look like the kind you’d use to make your own yogurt at home. One jar is 5 oz.

Based in Austin, Texas, Culina is a woman-owned business that makes thick, probiotic, fermented coconut yogurt. The plant-based, vegan, paleo yogurt has no gums, starches or fillers. I like how it’s made with a few ingredients and is all-natural. I also like the glass jar and the recipes that come with the jars of yogurt. I bet that it would make incredible frozen yogurt. I wish they offered more flavors.

* Strawberry Rose: I’ve tried my share of plant-based, dairy-free yogurt, and Culina’s is the best that I've tried. Thanks to the coconut cream, it’s rich and creamy. The fermentation provides that sour taste of dairy yogurt that’s often missing from plant-based yogurt. It’s truly thick and tangy. And they don’t mess it up by adding too much sugar. The texture was smooth though some separation had occurred (stir before consumption). So good! I could taste the strawberry and coconut, but I didn’t notice the rose oil though.

* Bourbon Vanilla: Also very good with mild vanilla flavor.

Available flavors: Plain & Simple, Bourbon Vanilla, Blueberry Lavender, Strawberry Rose

Ingredients (Strawberry Rose): Organic coconut, water, organic strawberries, organic maple syrup, agar, rose oil, probiotic cultures.

One serving of Strawberry Rose is 220 calories, 18g total fat, 11g carbs, 9g sugars, and 2g protein. The yogurt is high in fat but it’s worth the indulgence.

5 out of 5 stars.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Pinkberry Flavor, Watermelon Lime Frozen Yogurt & a Discontinued Topping

Fro-yo girl here. Pinkberry has a new summer flavor…Watermelon Lime frozen yogurt. I first found out about it through an Instagram ad, before it was announced on August 7. New tart froyo flavors are so rare these days. Watermelon is a great flavor for the summer – light and refreshing. National Watermelon Day, August 3, would have been the perfect launch date for the new flavor.

Watermelon Lime frozen yogurt: The flavor wasn’t as refreshing as I expected, but it was tangier than I expected too. The texture was quite thick and creamy, more so than their Original Tart flavor. Tangy watermelon as a flavor is unusual since watermelon is usually so sweet. I didn’t notice the lime but maybe the lime is why the yogurt was extra tangy? Mr. Froyo thought it tasted more like cherry/berry than watermelon. There were no new toppings introduced to accompany Watermelon Lime frozen yogurt. Recommended toppings: Berries, mochi. Too bad they didn’t have any fresh watermelon cubes.

I asked for the pizzelle cookie and was told that the company that makes them closed for good because of the coronavirus. What? I don’t know if it’s true or not. But I did look on Instagram and the recent Pinkberry posts do not feature the pizzelle cookie. Oh no....

Also, I found a flavor on the Pinkberry app that I haven’t seen in stores yet, dairy-free Coconut Milk Lemon Crème. Did I miss the announcement of this new flavor? I could not find a press release for the release of Coconut Milk Lemon Crème.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Here’s the official press release from Pinkberry:

Pinkberry Introduces New Watermelon Lime Frozen Yogurt

Aug 07, 2020, 09:07 ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pinkberry (www.Pinkberry.com) is excited to launch the refreshing frozen yogurt flavor, Watermelon Lime. This tart swirl will be available beginning August 7.

This mouthwatering flavor is sure to delight with its sweet and tangy taste that provides a light and refreshing treat on a hot summer day.

"The delicious combination of watermelon and lime brings a sweet but tart taste that guests will go wild over," said Melissa Hubbell, senior director of marketing for Kahala Brands™, parent company of Pinkberry. "Pinkberry is known for creating unique and vibrant swirly goodness, and this Watermelon Lime frozen yogurt is no exception!"

At Pinkberry, guests can customize their swirl with a variety of toppings that include fresh, never frozen, fruit that is hand-cut in stores daily, along with premium granolas and nuts, specialty chocolates, and much more. Pinkberry is swirling with possibilities.

About Pinkberry

Pinkberry® launched in Los Angeles, CA in 2005 as the original brand that reinvented frozen yogurt. Today, over a decade later, Pinkberry continues to create great tasting treats with fresh ingredients in an experience comprised of distinctive product, outstanding service, and inspirational design. At Pinkberry you can taste the difference of an uncompromising commitment to quality and freshness. Most recently, Pinkberry U.S. was acquired by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kahala Brands™, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of nearly 29 fast-casual and quick-service restaurant brands with approximately 3000 locations in 35 countries.

For more information about Pinkberry, visit www.Pinkberry.com

For more information about Kahala Brands, visit www.KahalaBrands.com

Menchie’s South Pasadena Switches to Full Service and Flat Rate Pricing (Other Menchie’s Are Doing It Too)

Fro-yo girl here. Menchie’s in South Pasadena, CA has been full service for awhile now, due to the coronavirus but now they no longer charge by weight. I was surprised to see their new format with fixed rate pricing and full service.

The options:

• Small: 2 flavors, 1 topping, $4.99
• Regular: 2 flavors, 2 toppings, $6.99
• Large: 2 flavors, 2 toppings, $9.99

I wonder why they’re restricting the number of toppings too. I wonder how many ounces you get. What if you don’t want any toppings? They seem to have fewer toppings choices now. It just seems so restrictive and unappealing for a place that was once about choice and self-service. If you could get your own yogurt and toppings, it would be fine but since you can’t, it’s just like the old days of froyo before self-serve when they charged per topping but worse, because those shops allowed you to get froyo without toppings.

Interestingly, other Menchie’s locations in Northeast Ohio and Erie, PA are offering flat rate pricing and full service. I heard Menchie's in Glendale, CA and Santa Monica, Montana Ave. are doing the same.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

New Flavors at Menchie’s: HI-CHEW Passion Fruit & HI-CHEW Mango, Swirl Them Together to Make a HI-CHEW Tropical Smoothie

Fro-yo girl here. Remember last July when Menchie’s came out with HI-CHEW Dragon Fruit frozen yogurt? They even gave out samples of the new HI-CHEW Dragon Fruit candy with a HI-CHEW coupon. This summer, Menchie’s has come out with new HI-CHEW froyo flavors, two of them: Mango and Passion Fruit. Swirled them together for a HI-CHEW Tropical Smoothie in your cup.

To try the new flavor, I had to travel out to Granada Hills. The Menchie’s locations in San Fernando Valley are better than the ones in San Gabriel Valley. The ones in SGV don’t even have the Best Friends spoons yet, let alone any of the new HI-CHEW flavors.

The Granada Hills Menchie’s had samples of HI-CHEW Tropical Smoothie candy and coupons. The online coupon code is MENCHIES. Cute. The candy, which combines two separate flavors, was really good – very chewy with bursts of sweet mango and a tangier passion fruit flavor. I’ve been a long-time fan of HI-CHEW, though I don’t eat as much candy as I used to. HI-CHEW is like Starburst with better flavors and I think it’s a bit softer and chewier.

• HI-CHEW Mango: It did taste like the HI-CHEW Mango candy, so it was quite sweet. The texture was icier, more like a sorbet than a frozen yogurt – even though it’s not a sorbet. It was too sweet for me. One of the reasons I like HI-CHEW the candy is the chewy texture. The froyo version loses that, of course. HI-CHEW Mango is nonfat. Recommmended toppings: Mango, mochi for chewiness, popping boba.
• HI-CHEW Passion Fruit – not available yet in Granada Hills

According to the Menchie’s website, ““When you swirl HI-CHEW Mango and HI-CHEW Passion Fruit you get a tasty summer treat. These nonfat flavors are made with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and they are gluten-free.”

FYI, Menchie’s Granada Hills is currently full service.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Here’s the official press release about the new flavors:

Double The Froyo Fun with HI-CHEW™ and Menchie's Frozen Yogurt

The two limited-edition frozen yogurt flavors include Mango and Passion Fruit, which swirl together to create Tropical Smoothie

IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HI-CHEW™, the immensely fruity, intensely chewy candy joins forces with Menchie's Frozen Yogurt, North America's largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise to unveil a frozen treat experience like never before: two new vibrant flavors! HI-CHEW™ Mango and HI-CHEW™ Passion Fruit can be enjoyed on their own or swirled together to create the mouthwatering flavor of HI-CHEW™ Tropical Smoothie. The new HI-CHEW™ and Menchie's frozen yogurt flavors will roll out throughout the month of August at participating Menchie's stores nationwide.

When warm-weather adventures lead to the search for cooling treats, these new frozen yogurt flavors create a bright and refreshing taste reminiscent of classic, tropical drinks on the beach, no matter the location. The limited-edition offerings take inspiration from one of HI-CHEW™'s newest flavors, Tropical Smoothie, which debuted earlier this year within the Fruit Combos mix. The Menchie's team and HI-CHEW™ confectionary experts worked to honor the double layer and true-to-fruit flavors of Mango and Passion Fruit to bring these creations to life.

This collaboration is the second between HI-CHEW™ and Menchie's. The two brands first teamed up in July 2019 to create HI-CHEW™ Dragon Fruit Frozen Yogurt, a sweet yet tart treat inspired by the fan favorite HI-CHEW™ Dragon Fruit flavor. This year's new frozen yogurt additions continue to creatively showcase HI-CHEW™ while elevating the collaboration with the option to swirl.

"The idea of layering two flavors together to create something new was integral to the development of HI-CHEW™ Tropical Smoothie, and seeing the product brought to life in an unexpected way is exciting for us," said Tatsuya Takamiya, Chief Marketing Officer of Morinaga America, Inc. "We're thrilled that consumers can enjoy the true-to-fruit taste of HI-CHEW™ through these frozen yogurt flavors while celebrating the innovative dual layers of the Tropical Smoothie chewlet."

HI-CHEW™ is committed to the quality of its products, consistently conducting research into industry trends and the evolving consumer palate to develop new flavors. The dedication to true-to-flavor taste preferences has helped the brand achieve year-over-year double digit growth since its launch in America in 2008. Menchie's, which has created unique frozen yogurt flavors since its introduction to the market in 2007, shares a similar commitment to its guests through fresh flavors and unique brand partnerships.

"We are excited to partner with Morinaga America, Inc. and launch two new delicious HI-CHEW frozen yogurt flavors throughout the month of August," said Elizabeth Berry, VP of Marketing at Menchie's Frozen Yogurt. "We are committed to offering high-quality frozen treats that appeal to consumers of all ages and are confident that our guests will love our HI-CHEW Mango and HI-CHEW Passion Fruit froyo flavors."

The new HI-CHEW™ Mango and HI-CHEW™ Passion Fruit flavors will roll out throughout the month of August at participating Menchie's stores nationwide. Check in with your local Menchie's location to learn about availability. To learn more about HI-CHEW™ and purchase your favorite products, please visit us online at HI-CHEW.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram (@HICHEWUSA) and Twitter (@HICHEW).

About Morinaga America, Inc.:

Established in 2008, Morinaga America, Inc. is the official distributor of HI-CHEW™ in the United States. With over 185 flavors of HI-CHEW™ having debuted in Japan, Morinaga America, Inc. has introduced the United States market to the best of Japanese confectionery. Morinaga America, Inc. (marketing and sales) and Morinaga America Foods, Inc. (manufacturing) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Morinaga & Co., Ltd., which began in 1899 as the first, modern candy maker and producer of chocolates in Japan. In 2015, Morinaga America, Inc. opened its first United States manufacturing facility in North Carolina.

About HI-CHEW™:

The history of Morinaga stretches back over a century when company founder Taichiro Morinaga brought his candy making skills to Japan from America in the 1800s. HI-CHEW™ has long been the best-selling soft candy in Japan and continues to see year-over-year growth throughout other parts of Asia and in the United States. In the United States, HI-CHEW™ is currently offered in the following flavors: Strawberry, Green Apple, Mango, Grape, Banana, Kiwi, and Açaí. HI-CHEW™ also offers a Tropical Mix with Kiwi, Mango, and Pineapple, a Superfruit Mix with Açaí, Kiwi and Dragon Fruit, a Soda Pop Mix with Cola and Ramune and a Sweet & Sour Mix with Grapefruit, Lemon and Watermelon. The latest offering from the candy brand is the HI-CHEW™ Fruit Combos Mix, featuring new flavors Tropical Smoothie and Piña Colada. HI-CHEW™ is made with concentrated fruit juices and is 100% free of gluten, cholesterol and synthetic colors. HI-CHEW™ continues to expand fruity, chewy flavor offerings annually.

About Menchie's Frozen Yogurt:

Menchie's is North America's largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise. With 500 stores, the franchise has locations open in the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Australia, India, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Puerto Rico. Guaranteeing happiness in every cup, the brand offers guests premium rotating yogurt flavors and delicious toppings for unlimited combinations in every bite. The proprietary collection is made from the milk of "happy" California cows, which have not been treated with artificial growth hormones (rBST). Menchie's frozen yogurt contains live and active cultures and has received the Live and Active Culture (LAC) seal indicating its endorsement by the National Yogurt Association.

Costco Drops Frozen Yogurt!

Fro-yo girl here. Costco no longer serves frozen yogurt? Say it isn’t so! Given the volume of frozen yogurt sold by Costco at its food court, this was major news. They’ve been serving YoCream froyo for many years. For many years, they offered two froyo flavors, nonfat vanilla and chocolate. You could also get froyo with strawberries. Many people loved the froyo. If you search Costco froyo on Twitter, there are many mentions. For some, the froyo was the main reason they went to Costco. The froyo was just $1.35 or $1.65 for the very berry sundae. 

In mid-2018, Costco dropped chocolate frozen yogurt, replacing it with soft serve acai, in an effort to provide healthier options. The acai was also much more expensive than the chocolate froyo ($4.99 bowl, $2.99 for a froyo/acai swirl). I never tried the acai (I don’t like acai bowls because the acai usually has banana) but the reviews were mixed.

Costco replaced frozen yogurt with soft serve ice cream in June/July 2020. The ice cream is $1.99 for a cone or $2.49 for a sundae, still plenty cheap.

One thing that I don’t understand is why they don’t still offer froyo when the soft serve machines have a dual hopper and they could easily offer two flavors. There was no announcement or official word from Costco. 

IKEA, don't fail me now...

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Menchie’s Finally Adds Flavor Finder to Mobile App But Many Stores Aren’t Updating Their Flavors

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been asking for a flavor finder feature from Menchie’s for years now. I was tired of calling multiple stores looking for a particular flavor. Why was it so hard to find out the current flavors?

I mentioned the need for Menchie’s to offer a flavor locator on my froyo wish list in 2017, 2018, and 2020. In 2018, it looked like Menchie’s was working on a flavor locator. I didn’t hear anything about it in 2019. Guess what? They finally added the flavor finder to their app and website this year.

To find the flavors of the day on the Menchie’s website, find the store you want to go to and the flavors will be listed under Flavors. On the Menchie’s app, find a store and then select Flavors from the store page. If the store hasn’t updated its flavors, you’ll see a list of all the Menchie’s flavors. If they have updated their flavors, you’ll only see the flavors that are currently swirling.

So how many Menchie’s locations update their flavors? Here’s what I found for the locations near me. No means that the shop did not have a list of current flavors.

1. Alhambra: No
2. Baldwin Park: No
3. Chatsworth: No
4. Culver City: No
5. Downey: No
6. Eagle Rock: No
7. El Monte: No
8. Gage Village: No
9. Glendale: No
10. La Puente: No
11. Pico Rivera: No
12. Santa Monica – Montana Ave: No
13. Santa Monica – Ocean Park: No
14. South El Monte: No
15. South Pasadena: No
16. Universal City: No
17. Van Nuys: No
18. West Hills: No
19. Westchester Village: No
20. Winnetka: No
21. Woodland Hills: No

Only four of the locations that I looked at had the current flavors. Each of these deserve a special star:

1. Burbank: YES!
2. Valley Village: YES!
3. Sherman Oaks: YES!
4. Encino: YES!

That’s 16% - when the majority of shops aren’t updating their list of current flavors, having a flavor finder feature has limited usefulness. What’s wrong with these shops that can’t be bothered to update their flavors? This is why I go out of my way to go to the Menchie’s in Valley Village. The service is better there and the yogurt texture is better. The shop also looks clean. If only other Menchie’s locations were the same. It’s interesting that all the locations that update their flavors are close to Menchie’s HQ.

The other issue is accuracy. Of the locations that do update their flavors, how accurate are those updates? I've already encountered one store that didn't list one of the flavors they offered, even though they updated their flavors.

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl. 

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.

Plant-Based Coconut Blend Non-Dairy Siggi’s Review

Fro-yo girl here. I’ve been a long time fan of Siggi’s and I was curious about their new plant-based yogurt made with coconut, pea protein and macadamia nuts. I looked for it at Target and Sprouts – no luck. But Whole Foods had three of the four non-dairy Siggi’s flavors. One cup is 5.3 oz and $1.99 at Whole Foods.

The idea of plant-based yogurt by Siggi’s seemed odd to me, but they’ve been expanding the product line so that they offer more than skyr. The products are connected by offering more protein and less sugar than leading alternatives. They say that “Siggi’s plant-based coconut blend has 3x more protein & 40% less sugar than leading yogurt alternatives.”

* Vanilla & Cinnamon: The texture is thinner than skyr and more like regular yogurt. The flavor was definitely sour and though I could see vanilla bean specks, the vanilla flavor was hard to detect. It tasted like sour cinnamon coconut with a powdery, chalky aftertaste thanks to the pea protein. It was somewhat odd. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either. I think it would taste better without pea protein. One serving is 190 calories, 11g fat, 13g carbs, 9g sugars and 10g protein.

* Raspberry: It was very flavorful. I tasted the sour raspberry first and then the chalky pea protein. The flavor is a bit odd but I did like the raspberry flavor and the bits of raspberry. I can’t get over the chalky protein flavor though. And the brownish color wasn’t visually appealing.

Available flavors: Raspberry, Vanilla & Cinnamon, Mixed Berries, Mango

3 out of 5 stars

You know you love me. X0 X0, fro-yo girl.

Looking for more frozen yogurt news, discussion boards, and resources? Check out the International Frozen Yogurt Association website at http://internationalfrozenyogurt.com/. The IFYA is the independent voice of the frozen yogurt industry.